Zeljko Obradovic is a strong-willed figure in European basketball so it's no surprise that he has thrown down the gauntlet this week to a couple of Serbo-Montenegrin internationals in the NBA ahead of the Olympics.

Obradovic has warned Sacramento Kings superstar Peja Stojakovic and Atlanta Hawks center Zeljko Rebraca to arrive on time and begin training for the Athens Games with their team-mates or forget playing in the glamourous competition.

Stojakovic, coming off a long season with Sacramento, doesn't want to show up until August 2 while Rebraca, the MVP of Yugoslavia's 1998 World Championship winning side, reportedly has back problems although Obradovic can't be sure because he's been unable to contact the player.

Obradovic has included the duo in his 20-man squad that will begin training on June 27 but says they could be dropped.

"First of all, it must be clear that we can't behave like Americans, to gather the squad just couple of days or weeks before big competitions,'' said Obradovic.

"Stojakovic said to our team manager, Zarko Paspalj, that he won't be available until August 2 because of some personal matters he must tend to.

"But if that happens we can't agree with it, because it wouldn't be fair to other players to let Stojakovic come 40 days later.''

Stojakovic was a Western Conference All Star this year and is so accurate at putting the ball in the hoop that he has been described as the best shooter on the planet since Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird. He played on the Yugoslavia's World Championship-winning side in 2002 in
Indianapolis and is a vital ingredient for the national team.

Obradovic added: "Of course, I know that there are no players like Stojakovic in our national team, that he is a real superstar, and that's the reason why I've put him on the list.

		Zeljko Rebraca

"But, that call remains only if he appears here on time on June 27.''

As for Rebraca, Obradovic added: "The same goes for Zeljko Rebraca, who said that he would come but then, after reading information in newspapers that he has some pains in the back, we weren't able to reach him when we tried to ask more about his problems!

"Amazing, but true. We'll see if he comes or not.''

Vladimir Scepanovic, a member of the 1998 championship side, has been rewarded for his return to form by being named in the group. Scepanovic was the star of Partizan Mobtel's Super league triumph over Hemofarm, scoring 28 points in the final game - including a game-winning jumpshot at the end of the game.

Point-forward Dejan Bodiroga, fresh off leading Barcelona to the Spanish title, Seattle Sonics forward Vladimir Radmanovic, sharpshooter Milan Gurovic, Skipper Bologna's Milos Vujanic and highly-rated NBA youngsters coming off rookie campaigns, Zarko Cabarkapa and Aleksandar Pavlovic, are also among those in the group.

Serbia & Montenegro Olympic preparation squad:
Dejan Bodiroga, Vladimir Radmanovic, Milan Gurovic, Zarko Cabarkapa, Predrag Stojakovic, Milos
Vujanic, Vule Avdalovic, Goran Jeretin, Igor Rakocevic, Aleksandar Pavlovic, Vladimir Scepanovic, Dejan Milojevic, Predrag Drobnjak, Dejan Tomasevic, Petar Popovic, Nenad Krstic, Djuro Ostojic, Kosta Perovic, Zeljko Rebraca and Ratko Varda.
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